MONTEREY, CA – Greener Fields Together™, the sustainability and local produce initiative created by PRO*ACT, the produce supply-chain management company, has announced winners of the first Cultivating Change grant program. Cultivating Change is committed to supporting local farms financially to improve their ability to produce, market and distribute fresh produce.
Twelve grants were awarded to eleven local farms in amounts ranging from $3,000 to $10,000. Grants for $10,000 were bestowed by a panel of industry leaders. Farms winning awards of $3,000 and $5,000 were selected by peer review and online voting. One farm, Jaemor Farms in Alto, GA, won both a panel judge and peer review grant.
The winning local farms are:
Farm / Location / Project / Amount Awarded / PRO*ACT Distributor
- Jaemor Farms Alto, GA Plastic Bins to improve food safety practices $13,000 Royal Food Service
- Central Texas Specialty Growers, LLC Plano, TX Rainwater Conservation Collection System $10,000 Hardies Fresh Foods
- Poche Family Farm Independence, LA High Tunnels $5,000 Capitol City Produce
- Hunt Family Farm San Luis Obispo, CA Refrigerated Delivery Truck $5,000 Family Tree Produce
- Fullei Fresh Miami, FL In-House Listeria Testing $5,000 Freedom Fresh
- J&C Farms & Groves Miami, FL Purchase equipment to automate, streamline, maximize farming practices and employee well being $5,000 Freedom Fresh
- Sage Farms Tulsa, OK Increase greenhouse sq. ft. for additional growing capacity $5,000 Vinyard Fruit & Vegetable Co.
- DLF International Ft Pierce, FL Website development $3,000 Freedom Fresh
- R. Pontano Produce Lake Worth, FL Microgreen Dryer $3,000 Freedom Fresh
- Farm Location Project Amount Awarded PRO*ACT Distributor
- Rendleman Orchards Alto Pass, IL Food Safety Permanent Training Facility and Enhanced Traceability Technology $3,000 Ole Tyme
- StoneCreek Hydroponics Hartwell, GA Build a 1,200 square foot refrigerated packing house $3,000 Royal Food Service
The industry review panel included Nova Sayers, NSF’s Business Development – Global Food Division, Johnna Hepner, PMA’s Director Food Safety & Technology, James Barham, Ph.D from USDA Rural Development and Agricultural Economist, Jim Ebersold CSW CSS, Purchasing Manager at Ted’s Montana Grill, JoAnne Berkenkamp the President of Tomorrow’s Table LLC along with Farm Aid’s Associate Director, Glenda Yoder.
“We are extremely proud of the winning farms,” says Max Yeater, president of PRO*ACT. “Greener Fields Together was developed to achieve measurable sustainability improvements in the fresh produce supply chain and this program supports that mission. The grants will be a boon to the winners’ ability to produce high-quality, local produce. We look to them as leaders in the future of our industry.”
Cultivating Change grants will be funded on an annual basis to qualifying growers. Applications for the next round of awards will be accepted between September 1 and October 31, 2016.
About Greener Fields Together:
Greener Fields Together is a collaboration of environmentally responsible parties, including farmers, distributors and foodservice operators, who have come together to make steady, measurable improvements in sustainability and food safety practices through all levels of the produce supply chain. About PRO*ACT: PRO*ACT is North America’s leading distributor of fresh food to the foodservice and retail industries, sourcing from premier national, regional and local farmers. PRO*ACT streamlines the produce supply chain, offering significant cost benefits and an easy, one-call solution to source the freshest produce from more than 70 third-party inspected, independently owned, local distribution centers across the United States and Canada. PRO*ACT provides category cost management through commodity contract pricing, in-house consultation services and integrated produce program distribution management.
Source: Greener Fields Together
